Armenia, Georgia continue polluting Transboundary Rivers

Baku, April 24 (AzerTAc). Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan has monitored the level of pollution of transboundary rivers Kura and Araz. According to report, consumption of water in the Kura River in mid-April, increased by 484 cubic meters per second to stand up for 778 cubic meters per second as compared to the first decade. The monitoring revealed the increased amount of biogenic (organic) substances a result of the impact of untreated waste and waste waters of industrial plants discharged into the river by Georgia and Armenia. Some of the specific pollutants in the water - phenols and copper compounds -- exceeded the allowable maximum rate in Agstafachay reservoir. Similar situation was observed in Horadiz part of the Araz River. The oxygen regime of water at all points varied within the health standards. The largest rivers of Azerbaijan Kura and Araz have been subjected to severe pollution as a result of untreated industrial wastewater and municipal sewage released by Georgian and Armenian as well as own industrial sources and human settlements. In respect of quality, Kura waters in the place of draining into the Caspian Sea can be used only in industry. For a long time, the dirty waters from the mining, energetic, chemistry, machine construction industries and the communal-utility enterprises of Armenia are going to the Razdan, Agarak and Okhchuchay inflows of the Araz River, which is the main significant water supply after the Kura. Agstaphachay, which is the transborder inflow of the Kura River, is also exposed to the high pollution in the territory of Armenia. The annual increase in pollution by Armenia, exposing Azerbaijan’s drinking water stocks to the catastrophic pollution, creates serious concerns.